


Toy

by extremelyperturbed



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hellraiser & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Horror
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-30
Updated: 2014-10-30
Packaged: 2018-02-23 05:22:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2535689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extremelyperturbed/pseuds/extremelyperturbed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a short ficlet about Hannibal getting a certain musical puzzle box in the mail.  It uses a few elements from the Hellraiser movie and the novella it's based on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Toy

The box appeared in a package addressed to his current pseudonym, Mr. Fell. Curious as he had not bought anything online or had requested a bank send him anything, he sniffed it and did not smell anything odd or chemical. The box did not feel unusually heavy or leak anything thick or oily. It did not tick or make any menacing sounds. He did idly consider blowing it up with an explosive or a shot gun so he could see the remains of the contents safely but his curiosity won out and he opened it with his scalpel.

He was amused when he saw that it was a very expensive and antique puzzle box. Whoever had gotten him the item must have known him well. He briefly wondered if Bedelia had been the one who had bought it for him but while she was knowledgeable, she was not whimsical or imaginative enough. He saw that there was a note inside. It was not signed but he could tell it was Will’s handwriting. 

“I bought this because it reminded me of you. I hope that you find solving it to be just as challenging as I found solving the mystery of the identity of the Chesapeake Ripper. May you find it just as rewarding.” 

Bedelia walked into the room. “What is that?”

“It is a puzzle box. In order to open it, you must manipulate the pieces.”

Bedelia narrowed her eyes. “Have you considered that it might be a puzzle box full of cyanide gas or perhaps something more exotic like plutonium?”

“No, he wouldn’t do that.” Hannibal was hoping that it would be the first clue to a chase, something he welcomed. He had become bored of a life of ease with Bedelia, and craved stimulation and excitement. 

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather go out to lunch and do some shopping.”

Hannibal did not bother to turn his head to see her leave. “Be back for dinner. I should have it solved by then.”

“Of course.”

It was an hour before Hannibal moved the first piece, which tripped a mechanism that caused the bare bones of a melancholy melody to begin. Encouraged, he continued to work on it, his hands twisting and turning the pieces, causing even more parts of the song to start playing. When he was nearly done, he began hearing the sound of a distant bell tolling. It had been early morning when he started the puzzle but now the light was seeping away from the room as if it was already past sunset.

He hesitated but the box seemed to spin and turn by itself, already on the last leg to completion. It was then that the walls of the living room seemed to lose their solidity and they appeared.

There were four of them. Scarred and decorated with open wounds, they reminded him of some of the art he had created in Baltimore. They were pale as if drained of blood, their flesh twisted and looking as if a mad seamstress had wanted to make their flesh part of their clothes, using wire instead of thread. One of them was especially noteworthy for having pins all over his head, remind him of a bear fighting suit from Russia whose picture he had seen once. A normal person would flinch at the sight of them. Hannibal could only wonder what Will had in mind. “Who are you? It’s rude not to introduce yourselves.”

The man whose head was adorned with the pins smiled at him and said, “We are Cenobites, connoisseurs of all dimensions of sensation. We are demons to some, angels to others. You are the one that opened the box and we are the ones that came. We have been eagerly awaiting you, Hannibal Lecter.”

With that, a dozen chains bearing meat hooks burst from the box. 

The grotesquely large one that wore goggles said, “Time to play.”

***  
Will looked in his mailbox and saw a package with no return address but merely the initials, B.D. Inside was the box encased in another cube of plastic to prevent it from being opened again. There was also a small box of most excellent chocolates. There was a note but it only said, “Thank you.”

Will looked at the surface of the cube and for a brief second, he thought he could see Hannibal’s face in the reflective surface of the puzzle box. He smiled. 

Will opened the box of chocolates and enjoyed the dark sweetness of the chocolate filled with intoxicating liqueurs. 

The End

**Author's Note:**

> I've seen the movie Hellraiser (only the original, not any of the sequels) recently but did read the novella it's based on ages ago as well as listened to parts of the audio book. 
> 
> http://io9.com/5927038/this-siberian-bear-hunting-suit-from-the-1800s-turns-you-into-a-human-blowfish shows you the Russian bear fighting suit.
> 
> A lot of bomb disposal people do blow up suspicious packages. 
> 
> I kept it at the Teen rating as it doesn't get gory. But you know it's not pretty where he's going. Also wanted to do something for Halloween.


End file.
